△ Front façade
Suzhou Dushu Lake Hospital, situated in Suzhou Industrial Park, spans a total area of 156,000 square meters with a planned construction area of 521,000 square meters and a bed capacity of 3,000. The project includes a comprehensive hospital with an initial phase accommodating 800 beds over 131,000 square meters, alongside several specialty centers planned for future expansion.
This hospital represents another realization of the “healing garden” and “garden architecture” design philosophies by Mr. Zhang Wansang, the lead architect at Swiss Rui Meng Design, following his work on the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital. The master plan integrates all phases into a contemporary garden setting, transforming each medical space into an engaging healing garden. The coordinated development of medical function planning, architecture, landscape, and interior design establishes the foundation for a cohesive and well-functioning hospital from the outset.
The development strategy revolves around individual buildings arranged around enclosed courtyards, offering users comfortable spaces for rest, waiting, and social interaction while introducing abundant natural elements indoors.
The circular, layered podium design integrates gardens seamlessly into interior and rooftop areas. The buildings are oriented at a 45-degree angle, creating dynamic boundary spaces around the site. A dual-ward layout optimized for two patients enhances hospital operational efficiency. White walls and gray window eaves pay homage to Suzhou’s architectural traditions. By avoiding excessive ornamentation, this modular, scalable, and efficient modern garden hospital honors Suzhou’s renowned Jiangnan gardens.
△ Outpatient entrance
In a world dominated by speed and noise, this tranquil space in Suzhou offers a place to pause and listen to the heartbeat of everyone within.
△ Aerial view
Suzhou Garden Meets Ruimeng Healing Garden
Suzhou Garden embraces the “LEMANARC” Healing Garden concept.
The gardenization of architecture stems from an understanding of gardens as continuous spatial chains formed by the interplay of horizontal and vertical elements. Suzhou gardens are characterized not only by their enclosed nature but also by this layered spatial sequence, which projects subconscious qualities such as barriers and order, recognition and return, nature and artifice, ritual, and security.
A Three-Dimensional Garden System
The Healing Garden concept extends beyond greenery surrounding the building. It creates a therapeutic environment through architectural design that integrates minerals, plants, and spatial elements. These settings guide users through a continuous spatial experience, fostering a shared sense of familiarity and inner peace.
△ Courtyard effect
The interconnected three-level garden system—comprising the central garden, atrium garden, and rooftop garden—forms a vast, cohesive green network throughout the park.
Standardization Creates an Elegant Jiangnan Water Town
The simple Jiangnan water towns possess an almost magical ability to slow down time and space, instilling calmness. This is exactly the atmosphere we aimed to evoke within this healing environment. The combination of white walls and gray lines deliberately distances the design from modern trends, returning instead to the tranquility and elegance unique to this region, thereby ensuring lasting vitality.
△ Close-up of façade
This expansive building complex is fully designed using modular, standardized components, allowing the hospital to function as a living organism capable of continuous growth and adaptation. Internal spaces can be easily reconfigured to meet changing operational requirements.
△ Façade details
Circular Design and Efficiency
Compared to linear layouts, a circular form allows movement from any starting point and back without repetition. This design reduces walking distances for patients by half and improves time efficiency. The circular geometry also enhances bidirectional connectivity, strengthening links between departments.
△ Outpatient corridor rendering
The atrium created by the circular layout floods the building with natural light and ventilation. The wind channeling effect of the inner courtyard is particularly effective for energy conservation in southern China’s hot, humid climate.
△ Lighting and ventilation analysis diagram
LEMANARC offers comprehensive services across medical and elderly care sectors, from medical process planning to interior design. Completed projects in China include Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing Public Health Center, and Shanghai Oriental Hospital.
△ Outpatient corridor
Project Drawings
△ General layout plan
△ First floor plan
△ Second floor plan
△ Third floor plan
△ Fourth floor plan
△ Fifth floor plan
△ Plans for Floors 6–12
△ North façade
△ West façade
△ Section diagram
△ Façade detail drawing
Project Information
Location: No. 9 Chongwen Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Jiangsu Province, China
Site Area: 156,000 square meters
Building Area: 131,000 square meters (Phase I)
Bed Capacity: 800 beds (Phase I)
Client: Dushu Lake Hospital, Suzhou City
Investment: 2.1 billion RMB
Construction and Installation Cost: 7,740 RMB/m²
Status: Completed and operational
Design Period: 2015–2016
Completion: 2020
Scope of Work: Overall conceptual planning, medical function planning, medical process design, architectural design, interior design, façade system development
Principal Architect: Vincent Zhengmao Zhang
Conceptual Planning: Vincent Zhengmao Zhang, Wang Ye
Medical Function & Process Design: Vincent Zhengmao Zhang, Daniel Pauli, Wang Xiaodong
Architectural Design: Vincent Zhengmao Zhang, Wang Ye
Interior Design: Vincent Zhengmao Zhang, Florian Thomas
Façade System Development: Vincent Zhengmao Zhang, Wang Ye
Project Coordination: Chen Yong
Photography: Xia Qiang
Preliminary Architectural & Construction Drawings: Zhongheng Design Group Co., Ltd
Technical Support: Feng Zhenggong, Zhang Jin
Project Leader & Architecture Lead: Qiu Lin
Architecture Team: Cao Feng, Wang Xiaoqiang, Xu Liang
Structural Team: Tan Lihua, Jiang Miao, Meng Haiyan, Chen Yong
Electrical Team: Wang Zhixiang, Wang Xiang, Li Wei, Chen Xinxin
HVAC Team: Zhang Yong, Ding Jiong, Zhou Min, Zhang Weikang
Water Supply & Drainage Team: Li Zheng, Chen Hanbing, Liu Yayuan
Interior Construction Drawings: Suzhou Chengzhi Decoration Co., Ltd
Landscape Design: Zhongheng Design Group Co., Ltd
Lighting Design: Zhongheng Design Group Co., Ltd
Curtain Wall Construction Drawings: Jiangsu Suxin Decoration (Group) Co., Ltd
General Contractor: New Century Construction Group Co., Ltd
Interior Decoration & Construction: Suzhou Kelida Decoration Co., Ltd
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